U.S. patent application number 14/046601 was filed with the patent office on 2015-04-09 for non-slip fuel tank bracket.
This patent application is currently assigned to QUANTUM FUEL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES WORLDWIDE INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is QUANTUM FUEL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES WORLDWIDE INC.. Invention is credited to Derrin Lynn Olischefski, Neel Sirosh.
Application Number | 20150096977 14/046601 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52776148 |
Filed Date | 2015-04-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150096977 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sirosh; Neel ; et
al. |
April 9, 2015 |
Non-Slip Fuel Tank Bracket
Abstract
A fuel holding device is secured to a vehicle by means of straps
and brackets, which sits on a system of gaskets to prevent
longitudinal sliding and rotation. A gasket system for preventing
longitudinal sliding is disposed circumferentially around the tank
body, and between the tank body and a circumferential bracket
system that includes a U-shaped strap and an L-shaped bracket. The
gasket system comprises a wedge-shaped base and a slider portion,
with the U-shaped strap secured around the slider portion. A system
for preventing rotation of a fuel-holding device has a
circumferential wedge gasket segment, or a corrugated segment,
positioned at a gap between the U-shaped strap and the L-shaped
bracket.
Inventors: |
Sirosh; Neel; (Irvine,
CA) ; Olischefski; Derrin Lynn; (Trabuco Canyon,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
QUANTUM FUEL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES WORLDWIDE INC. |
Lake Forest |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
QUANTUM FUEL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES
WORLDWIDE INC.
Lake Forest
CA
|
Family ID: |
52776148 |
Appl. No.: |
14/046601 |
Filed: |
October 4, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/4.14 ;
248/313 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K 15/07 20130101;
B60K 2015/0638 20130101; F02M 21/0296 20130101; F02M 21/029
20130101; Y02T 10/30 20130101; Y02T 10/32 20130101; F16B 2/08
20130101; F02M 21/0221 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/4.14 ;
248/313 |
International
Class: |
F02M 21/02 20060101
F02M021/02; B60K 15/03 20060101 B60K015/03; B60R 16/08 20060101
B60R016/08; B60K 5/00 20060101 B60K005/00; F16B 2/08 20060101
F16B002/08; F16B 2/14 20060101 F16B002/14 |
Claims
1. A fuel-holding device comprising: a tank body; and a
circumferential bracket system having a removable U-shaped strap
and an L-shaped bracket that are secured at a joint; and a gasket
system disposed circumferentially around the tank body, and between
the tank body and the circumferential bracket system, the gasket
system comprising a wedge-shaped base and a slider portion, with
the U-shaped strap secured around the slider portion.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the slider portion has an upper
groove which receives and guides the U-shaped strap.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the slider portion further
comprises ridges that protrude radially outwardly and channeling
the circumferential bracket system.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the gasket system is formed of a
metallic or non-metallic material, and secured to the tank body
with the aid of an adhesive or fabric impregnated in epoxy or
polyurethane or other resin.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the U-shaped strap is maintained
under tension during expansion and contraction of the tank body by
a spring in compression, the spring disposed at the joint between
the U-shaped strap and the L-shaped bracket.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the tank body contains a gaseous
fuel therein.
7. A system for preventing rotation of a fuel-holding device,
comprising: a U-shaped strap and an L-shaped bracket disposed
around the circumference of the fuel holding device; and a
circumferential wedge gasket segment positioned at a gap between
the strap and the bracket.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the gasket segment is shaped as a
truncated triangle with a curved base side.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein the gasket segment is shaped as a
regular triangle with a curved base side
10. The system of claim 7, wherein the gasket system is formed of a
metallic or non-metallic material, and secured to the tank body
with the aid of an adhesive or fabric impregnated in epoxy or
polyurethane or other resin.
11. The system of claim 7, further including a tank body that
contains a gaseous fuel therein.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the U-shaped strap is
maintained under tension during expansion and contraction of the
tank body by a spring in compression, the spring disposed at the
joint between the U-shaped strap and the L-shaped bracket.
13. The system of claim 7, further including a gasket system
disposed circumferentially around the tank body, and between the
tank body and the circumferential bracket system, the gasket system
comprising a wedge-shaped base and a slider portion, with the
U-shaped strap secured around the slider portion.
14. A system for preventing rotation of a fuel-holding device,
comprising: a U-shaped strap and an L-shaped bracket disposed
around the circumference of the fuel holding device; and a
corrugated segment secured to the fuel-holding device and
positioned at a gap between the strap and the bracket,
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the corrugated segment includes
projections, and wherein the U-shaped bracket includes radially
inward protrusions that interlock with projections of the
corrugated segment.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein the gasket system is formed of
a metallic or non-metallic material, and secured to the tank body
with the aid of an adhesive or fabric impregnated in epoxy or
polyurethane or other resin.
17. The system of claim 14, further including a tank body that
contains a gaseous fuel therein.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the U-shaped strap is
maintained under tension during expansion and contraction of the
tank body by a spring in compression, the spring disposed at the
joint between the U-shaped strap and the L-shaped bracket.
19. The system of claim 14, further including a gasket system
disposed circumferentially around the tank body, and between the
tank body and the circumferential bracket system, the gasket system
comprising a wedge-shaped base and a slider portion, with the
U-shaped strap secured around the slider portion
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to storage tanks used for storing
compressed gaseous fuels. In particular, the present invention is
related to a mechanism for preventing the relative movement of
tanks that are attached to vehicles using hoop brackets to
safeguard against high pressure line breakages.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Cylindrical fuel tanks, such as compressed natural gas and
compressed hydrogen gas tanks, are typically secured to the vehicle
structure using hoop brackets. The high pressure tanks expand and
contract during refueling and engine fuel consumption cycles, and
are subject to `g` forces induced by vehicle acceleration,
deceleration, extended vibrations and collisions. Tanks that are
mounted longitudinally (i.e., parallel to the vehicle axis) are
especially prone to movement within the brackets either axially or
rotationally, under repeated `g` loads and expansion-contraction
cycles.
[0005] For example, cylindrical fuel tanks which are mounted
longitudinally on the roofs of buses or on the side of trucks may
be prone to longitudinal sliding or hoop spinning within the
brackets, causing breakage of high pressure gas lines affixed to
the tanks. Any relative movement between a tank and brackets needs
to be minimized to eliminate the risk of gas line breakage. This is
a challenge especially for heavy tanks since the `g` force is a
product of the tank mass and the vehicle acceleration.
[0006] Typical bracket configuration includes an L-shaped bracket
that is permanently bolted on the vehicle and a U-shaped strap that
is attached to the L-shaped bracket and secures the tank in place
(hereinafter "U-L joint"). A non-metallic gasket is typically
placed between the tank and the brackets to prevent chafing damage
of the tank shell and to allow some room for expansion. However,
these conventional gaskets do not prevent lateral movement or
rotation of the tank. In many cases, springs are deployed at the
U-L joints to accommodate expansion-contraction cycles of the tank
without damage to the bracket straps. However, the tanks can still
move laterally.
[0007] The tank is prevented from moving longitudinally by
frictional resistance between the non-metallic gasket and the tank.
The frictional resistance depends on the coefficient of friction
between the rubber gasket and the composite shell, and is
proportional to the pressure applied by the bracket on the tank
surface. Unfortunately, the pressure applied by the bracket on the
tank decays with time, due to relaxation of the bracket material
and loosening of the U-L joint under tank expansion-contraction
cycles and repeated `g` forces. As a result of the reduced
frictional resistance between the brackets and the tank, the tank
may slide longitudinally and or rotate, creating the safety hazard
of gas line breakage.
[0008] Therefore, a cost-effective method is required for
preventing the relative movement of tanks that are attached to
vehicles using hoop brackets to safeguard against high pressure
line breakages.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0009] To accomplish the objectives set forth above, the present
invention provides a system for preventing longitudinal sliding of
a fuel-holding device. The fuel-holding device includes a tank
body, and a circumferential bracket system having a removable
U-shaped strap and an L-shaped bracket that at are secured at a
joint. A gasket system is disposed circumferentially around the
tank body, and between the tank body and the circumferential
bracket system. The gasket system comprises a wedge-shaped base and
a slider portion, with the U-shaped strap secured around the slider
portion.
[0010] The present invention also provides a system for preventing
rotation of a fuel-holding device. The system includes a U-shaped
strap and an L-shaped bracket disposed around the circumference of
the fuel holding device, and a circumferential wedge gasket segment
positioned at a gap between the strap and the bracket. In
accordance with another embodiment, instead of the circumferential
wedge gasket segment, a corrugated segment can be secured to the
fuel-holding device and positioned at a gap between the strap and
the bracket.
[0011] Some aspects of exemplary implementations of the disclosure
provide wedge-shaped gaskets and intermediate sliders that are
placed on the tank body and in between the U-shaped straps and
L-shaped brackets and the tank body. If the tank body were to slide
longitudinally, the wedge-shape imposes additional pressure on the
tank body, exponentially increasing the frictional resistance
between the tank body and the strap/bracket, thereby arresting the
movement.
[0012] Additionally, a circumferential wedge-shaped gasket is
bonded to the tank body at the gap between the U-shaped strap and
L-shaped bracket. The wedge-shaped gasket can also be secured in
place using epoxy or polyurethane impregnated fiber glass cloth.
This wedge-shaped gasket prevents rotation of the tank body, since
frictional resistance against rotation increases with rotational
displacement as the wedge creates added pressure on the tank body's
external shell.
[0013] Some aspects of exemplary implementations of the disclosure
provide wedge-shaped gaskets configured to interact with the tank
body and U-shaped straps and L-shaped brackets that help prevent
relative movement of the tank body. The body can be secured to a
frame, and the frame can be a part of a vehicle, such as an
automobile, truck, bus, locomotive or a marine vessel. The
intermediate slider that is deployed between the wedge-shaped
gasket and the U-shaped strap or L-shaped bracket has ridges on the
surface that contacts the bracket segments, thereby securing the
brackets.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle equipped with a cylindrical
fuel tank secured to the vehicle structural frame according to the
present invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates an L-shaped bracket and a U-shaped strap
which is used for attachment to a vehicle frame under the present
invention.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a cylindrical fuel
tank and a tank securement system according to the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 4 is an exploded cross-sectional view illustrating the
tank securement system of the present invention shown securing a
cylindrical tank to a vehicle frame according to the present
invention to prevent longitudinal displacement thereof.
[0018] FIG. 5 is an exploded cross-sectional view illustrating the
tank securement system of the present invention shown securing a
cylindrical tank to a vehicle frame according to the present
invention to prevent rotation of the tank.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating the fuel
tank and tank securement system of FIG. 3.
[0020] FIG. 7A is an enlarged perspective view of a tank securing
wedge gasket.
[0021] FIG. 7B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a tank
securing wedge gasket and adhesive interface.
[0022] FIG. 8A is an enlarged perspective view of a wedge-shaped
underlay.
[0023] FIG. 8B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a
wedge-shaped underlay and a slider.
[0024] FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a cylindrical fuel
tank and a tank securement system according to another embodiment
of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 10A is an enlarged perspective view of the area
designated 270 from FIG. 9.
[0026] FIG. 10B is a perspective view of the corrugated segment in
the area 270 in FIG. 10A.
[0027] FIG. 10C is a cross-sectional view of the area 270 of FIG.
10A.
[0028] FIG. 11 is a side plan view illustrating the securement
system of FIG. 9.
[0029] FIG. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of the tank system
of FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0030] The following detailed description is of the best presently
contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description
is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the
purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the
invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the
appended claims.
[0031] The present invention provides systems and devices for
preventing longitudinal sliding and rotation of cylindrical fuel
tanks while secured by the brackets attached to vehicular frames.
Various aspects of the invention described herein may be applied to
any of the particular applications set forth below or for any other
types of securing systems. The present invention may be applied as
a stand-alone system or method, or as part of a vehicle or other
system that utilizes fuel.
[0032] Some aspects of the present invention provide wedge-shaped
gaskets and sliders that are placed on cylindrical fuel tanks,
vessels, or any other type of device capable of containing a
gaseous or liquid fuel by one or more securing techniques. The
gaskets may be formed from thermoplastic, thermosetting plastic,
rubber or other elastomeric materials, which are described in
greater detail elsewhere herein. Such gaskets can, to some degree,
protect the bracket's strap from wearing down by rubbing against
the tank or cylinder surface. Such gaskets may also function as
dampers to vibrations that may occur on the vehicle and/or
tank.
[0033] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a vehicle equipped with a
cylindrical gaseous fuel tank 100 secured to the vehicle structural
frame 180 by means of a U-shaped strap 120 and an L-shaped bracket
130, and provided with a gasket 110 in between the tank 100 and the
strap 120 and bracket 130. Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the gasket 110
is disposed around the circumference of the tank 100, and between
the shell of the tank 100 and the strap 120 and bracket 130.
[0034] The frame 180 may be a part of a vehicle, and a vehicle may
be any type of vehicle known in the art. A vehicle may be a truck,
such as a light duty truck (e.g., class 1, class 2 or class 3),
medium duty truck (e.g., class 4, class 5 or class 6), or heavy
duty truck (e.g., class 7 or class 8). Vehicles include but are not
limited to cars, wagons, vans, buses, high-occupancy vehicles, dump
trucks, tractor trailer trucks, or any other vehicles such as
marine vessels. The vehicle may have any weight depending on its
type.
[0035] The tank 100 may be any fuel container, which may have
various shapes, dimensions, proportions, or configurations. A
cylindrical fuel tank is provided by way of illustration, but is
not intended to be limiting.
[0036] The tank 100 may be capable of containing a fuel with a
certain amount of pressure. For example, the tank 100 may be
capable of containing a fuel having a range between about 100 psi
and about 10000 psi, or having less than or equal to about 10000
psi, 8000 psi, 7000 psi, 6500 psi, 6000 psi, 5500 psi, 5000 psi,
4750 psi, 4500 psi, 4250 psi, 4000 psi, 3750 psi, 3500 psi, 3250
psi, 3000 psi, 2750 psi, 2500 psi, 2000 psi, 1500 psi, 1000 psi,
500 psi, 300 psi, 100 psi, or less.
[0037] The tank 100 can be used to store liquid fuel, such as
liquid petroleum gas, liquefied natural gas, or liquefied hydrogen
gas. Alternatively, the tank 100 may be capable of containing a
gaseous fuel, such as natural gas, therein. Any reference to
gaseous fuel or fuel may include natural gas. This may include
liquefied natural gas (LNG) or compressed natural gas (CNG). A
gaseous fuel may include hydrogen or hydrogen based gas, hythane,
H2CNG, or any other gas.
[0038] The tank 100 may have one or more fuel outputs. The fuel
output may transfer the fuel to another part of the vehicle, such
as an engine or fuel cell propulsion system. In one example, the
fuel may be output to mix with air in the cylinder of an engine.
The fuel may be used in the process of propelling the vehicle.
[0039] The tank 100 can be made from steel, aluminum, steel wires,
glass fiber, carbon fiber, polymer, carbon fiber reinforced
polymer, or a composite material such as carbon fiber reinforced
polymer, or other suitable material or a combination of materials.
The tank 100 can be mounted on a vehicle in any number of ways,
such as side-mounted, rear-mounted, behind-the-cab mounted, or
roof-mounted. One, two or more tanks may be mounted on a single
side of the vehicle, or on each side of the vehicle. The
side-mounted tanks may at least partially protrude from a side
surface of the vehicle. FIG. 1 illustrates a rear-mounted device
configured to hold fuel attached to a vehicle.
Gasket System to Prevent Longitudinal Sliding of Fuel Tanks
[0040] FIG. 2 illustrates the L-shaped bracket 130 which is usually
attached to a vehicle frame, and the U-shaped strap 120. Interfaces
140a and 140b are provided on the bracket 130 and strap 120,
respectively, to allow the strap 120 and bracket 130 to be
removably coupled to each other via a bolt 135.
[0041] The strap 120 can be made of various materials, including
steel, carbon fiber, fiberglass (hereinafter also "glass fiber"),
or a composite material such as a material containing a first
component and a second component, such as a ceramic, metal, glass
fiber, aramid fiber, carbon fiber, and or/polymer or another
suitable material or combination thereof.
[0042] Referring also to FIGS. 8A and 8B, the gasket 110 includes a
wedge-shaped base 210 and a slider 220 positioned on top of the
base 210. The slider 220 has an upper groove 225 which is adapted
to receive and guide the strap 120. The groove 225 is formed by
ridges 215 that prevent the strap 120 from sliding axially relative
to the slider 220. The gasket 110 may circumferentially encompass
part of the tank 100, underneath the strap 120.
[0043] The components of the gasket system, such as the base 210
and the slider 220, can be made from various materials, including
rubber, plastic, thermoplastic materials, thermosetting materials,
and self-healing polymers or composites, glass fiber, carbon fiber,
plastic, a composite material such as carbon fiber reinforced
polymer, or combinations thereof. These components of the gasket
system, including features such as the central region and ridges,
can prepared by methods such as extrusion, injection molding,
vulcanization, rotational molding, thermoforming, and thermoplastic
compression molding, and other known methods or combinations of
known methods. Specific materials that can used to make the gasket
system components and their various features include one or more of
rubber, polyethylene, polypropylene, other polyalkenes,
polyglycols, poly-acids (such as polylactic acids), poly-thiols,
disulfide-crosslinked polyalkenes, polyethylene terphthalate,
polyamide, polystyrene, epoxy, polyurethane or another suitable
material.
[0044] In some cases, materials from which the components of the
gasket system are formed have a relatively high coefficient of
friction with the surface of the device configured to hold fuel,
which can be formed of aluminum, steel, glass fiber, carbon fiber,
polymer, carbon fiber reinforced polymer, or other materials
described above. In some cases, the coefficient of friction .mu. is
in the range of about 0.05 to about 1.0, or at least about 0.05, or
0.1, or 0.15, or 0.2, or 0.25, or 0.3, or 0.35, or 0.4, or 0.55, or
0.5, or 0.55, or 0.6, or 0.65, or 0.7, or 0.75, or 0.8, or 0.85, or
0.9, or 0.95, or 1.0.
[0045] In some cases, the wedge-shaped base 210 may be secured to
the tank 100 by an adhesive. The adhesive can be glue, solvent
based adhesive, polymer dispersion adhesive, contact adhesive,
hot-melt adhesive, reactive adhesive (such as polyester resin,
polyurethane resin, or acrylic polymer), or another adhesive. In
some cases, the adhesive creates a chemical bond between the
surface of the gasket and the surface of the tank 100.
[0046] The strap 120 and bracket 130 in combination with the gasket
110 function to prevent longitudinal displacement of the tank 100.
The present invention also provides a tank securing wedge gasket
250 and adhesive connector 260 that functions to prevent rotation
of the tank 100.
Gasket Systems to Prevent Tank Rotation
[0047] Referring also to FIGS. 3, 5, 6, 7A and 7B, the
circumferential wedge gasket 250 may be provided on the shell of
the tank 100, bonded to the tank 100 at the connector 260. The
wedge gasket 250 extends below the strap 120 and bracket 130 at the
interface 140a, 140b. As the tank 100 undergoes angular rotation,
the wedge gasket 250 resists the rotation due to increased pressure
from the interface 140a, 140b between the strap 120 and bracket
130. Specifically, during angular rotation, the wedge gasket 250
becomes squeezed between the tank 100 and the bolted joint at the
interface 140a/140b, causing proportionally increasing pressure on
the tank 100 and a corresponding increase in frictional
resistance.
[0048] The circumferential gasket wedge 250 can be hollow, and can
be filled with the same material as the base 210 and the slider
220, or with another material. As best shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B,
the wedge 250 can be shaped as either a truncated triangle with a
curved base side, or as shown in FIG. 5, it can be shaped as a
regular triangle with a curved base side. Both shapes will result
in the application of pressure on the tank 100 and increased
frictional resistance as the tank 100 undergoes rotation.
[0049] The circumferential gasket wedge 250 may have certain
material properties. For example, the wedge 250 may have a
compressive strength of at least about 5 MPa, or 15MPa, or 15 MPa,
or 25 MPa, or 35 MPa, 01 45 MPa, or 55 MPa, or 65 MPa, or 75 MPa,
or 85 MPa, or 100 MPa, or 150 MPa, or 250 MPa, or greater, or a
tensile strength of at least about 5 MPa, or 15MPa, or 15 MPa, or
25 MPa, or 35 MPa, or 45 MPa, or 55 MPa, or 65 MPa, or 75 MPa, or
85 MPa, or 100 MPa, or 150 MPa, or 250 MPa, or greater. In
addition, the circumferential gasket wedge 250 may have a tensile
strength of 15 MPa and a modulus of 10 MPa. In some instances, the
wedge shape of the gasket wedge 250 can be substituted with other
shapes that may have similar effects as the wedge shape.
[0050] In some cases, grooves, bumps, indentation, or protrusions,
or combinations thereof, may replace the circumferential gasket
wedge segment 250 as an alternative.
[0051] FIGS. 9-12 illustrate an alternative tank securing mechanism
270 that incorporates a corrugated segment 280 that is adhesively
bonded to the tank 100, and which prevents rotation of the tank 100
by interlocking with protrusions 150 that extend from the strap
120. Specifically, the corrugated segment 280 is shown in FIGS.
10A-100, and includes corrugations 285 provided in a groove that is
defined by two outer ridges or walls 290. The corrugated segment
280 is positioned underneath the strap 120. The strap 120 is
adapted to be positioned inside the groove, and the strap 120 is
provided with protrusions 150 that engage with or interlocks the
corrugations 285 to provide resistance to rotational displacement
of the tank 100. In addition, a bracket tensioner spring 300 is
positioned at the bolt 135 that secures the strap 120 to the
bracket 130. The tensioner spring 300 keeps the strap 120 in
tension regardless of the state of pressure, and radial expansion
of the shell of the tank 100.
[0052] The protrusions 150 can be fabricated by localized bending
of the strap 120, or by welding on beads across the width of the
strap 120. The corrugated segment 280 may have certain material
properties, such as a compressive strength of at least about 5 MPa,
or 15 MPa, or 15 MPa, or 25 MPa, or 35 MPa, or 45 MPa, or 55 MPa,
or 65 MPa, or 75 MPa, or 85 MPa, or 100 MPa, or 150 MPa, or 250
MPa, or greater, or a tensile strength of at least about 5 MPa, or
15 MPa, or 15 MPa, or 25 MPa, or 35 MPa, or 45 MPa, or 55 MPa, or
65 MPa, or 75 MPa, or 85 MPa, or 100 MPa, or 150 MPa, or 250 MPa,
or greater. For example, the corrugated segment 280 may have a
tensile strength of 15 MPa and a modulus of 10 MPa.
[0053] While the description above refers to particular embodiments
of the present invention, it will be understood that many
modifications may be made without departing from the spirit
thereof. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such
modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the
present invention.
* * * * *